March 17 - Josef Rheinberger (The Musical Birthday Series, 8th Annual Cycle)

Previous postings for March 17th may be found here: Josef Rheinberger (2019), Michael Finnissy (2020), Élisabeth-Claude Jacquet de La Guerre (2021), Nat King Cole (2022), Rudolf Nureyev (2023), Alfred Newman (2024), and Thoinot Arbeau (2026)

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Josef Rheinberger (17 March 1839- 25 November 1901) wrote works that are still part of the academic and concert organist's repertoire.  Critical opinion varies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More Is More 

Today Rheinberger is remembered above all for his elaborate and challenging organ compositions,  including 20 sonatas (of a projected set of 24 sonatas in all the keys). – adapted from Wikipedia

One needed have been superstitious

To find all the signs unpropitious

For sonatas like these

In all twenty-four keys,

On a scale so absurdly ambitious.

 

 

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March 16 - David Del Tredici (The Musical Birthday Series, 8th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for March 16th may be found here: David Del Tedici (2019), Henny Youngman (2020), Teresa Berganza; William Henry Monk (2021), Christa Ludwig (2022), David Del Tredici (2023), William Henry Monk (2024), and William Henry Monk (2025)

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David Del Tredici (16 March 1937 - 18 November 2023) is an American composer who is considered a pioneer of the Neo-Romantic movement.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wonderlandia

 

But Del Tredici achieved rare fame with a series of brilliant tone pictures after Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, in which he projected, in utter defiance of all modernistic conventions, overt tonal proclamations, fanfares, and pretty tunes that were almost  embarrassingly attractive, becoming melodiouser and harmoniouser with each consequent tone portrait of Alice.  – Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of Musicians (8th edition) 

 

Some atonalists regarded “Final Alice” as a betrayal. — NYT obituary

When Del Tredici caused a sensation,

   And he leapt from the serial ship,

To embark on his famous fixation

   With Alice's Wonderland trip,

It was clear that this new incarnation

   Was not an ephemeral blip,

And was heard with perplexed reservation

   By his colleagues, the musically hip.

 

 

 

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March 15 - Elisabeth Röckel Hummel (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for March 15th may be found here:  Colin McPhee (2019),  Eduard Strauss (2020), Nicola Vaccai; Harry James (2021), Harry James (2022), Ben Johnston (2023), Eduard Strauss (2024), and Eduard Strauss (2025)

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Elisabeth Röckel Hummel (15 March 1793 – 3 March 1883) was a German operatic soprano and the wife of the composer Johann Nepomuk Hummel. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To Tell the Truth 

The identity of "Elise" is unknown; researchers have suggested Therese Malfatti, Elisabeth Röckel, and Elise Barensfeld.  – Wikipedia, s.v. "Für Elise,"

The collective consensus agrees

That when Beethoven wrote "Für Elise,"

It would have been nice

If he'd been more precise

About whom he was trying to please.

 

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Bad Hair Day

During the days before Beethoven's death, she and her husband Hummel visited Beethoven several times, and cut and saved a lock of his hair.  – Wikipedia

When Elisabeth Hummel, with care,

Cut a curl off of Beethoven's hair,

Did she know that the lock

That she'd gathered ad hoc

Would become most exceedingly rare?

 

 

 

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March 14 - Wintter [sic] Watts (The Musical Birthday Series, 8th Annual Cycle)

Previous March 14th posts may be found here: Georg Philipp Telemann (2019),  Shirley Scott; Johann Strauss Sr (2020), Quincy Jones (2021), Johann Gottlieb Goldberg; Luther Henderson (2022), Robert Lucas Pearsall (2023), Casey" Jones (2024), and Johann Strauss the Elder (2025)

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Wintter Watts (14 March 1884 – 1 November 1962) was an American composer of art songs. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two for T

Was Wintter Watts annoyed that he

Was baptized with an extra "T,"

Which meant when singers chose to sing

His songs concerning love or sspring

The programme seemed to be misprinted,

And hinted that the venue stinted

When editing the final proofs

For gaucheries, and gaffes, and goofs,

Which in its turn left Wintter gutted

To see his given name tut-tutted?

Envoi

It's wise to heed linguistic fetters

Even  in the Arts and Lettters.

 

 

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March 13 - Neil Sedaka (The Musical Birthday Series, 8th Annual Cycle)

Previous postings on Hugo Wolf may be found here: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, Sammy Kaye (2023), Hugo Wolf (2024), and Hugo Wolf (2025)

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Neil Sedaka (13 March 1939 – 27 February 2026) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keeping Us Together 

Neil Sedaka, as you've read,

Is only very lately dead.

He had an easy-going mode,

And though his career had ebbed and flowed,

His songs remained benign and sunny,

And even, on occasion, funny,

(And yes, of course, they made him money),

But even tabloids seemed to lack a

Reason to attack Sedaka.

 

 

 

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March 12 - Robert Lowry (The Musical Birthday Series, 8th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for March 12th may be found here: Thomas Augustine Arne (2019),  Gordon MacRae (2020), Liza Minnelli (2021), Thomas Augustine Arne; Paul Weston (2023), Thomas Augustine Arne (2023), Alexandre Guilmant (2024), and Thomas Augustine Arne (2025)

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Robert Lowry (March 12, 1826 – November 25, 1899) was an American preacher who became a popular writer of gospel music in the mid-to-late 19th century.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shall We?

I do not know if Richard Lowry

Had a daughter with a dowry,

But "Shall We Gather at the River"

Would have earned some cash to give her.

 

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Hymn Time

When hymn composer Robert Lowry

Penned "I Need Thee Every Hour," he

Clearly felt the text sincerely,

And believed that Life, if lived severely,

Freed one from the World (or nearly).

And writing music as a Baptist,

It followed that his texts were aptest,

When sentiments were at their raptest,

So shunning liturgies and creeds, he

Wrote "All the Way My Savior Leads Me."

 

 

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